Coin-gage for coin-controlled mechanism.



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www i FREDERICK N. ROSENSTENGEL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO SATTLEY COIN HANDLING MACHINE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

COIN-GAGE FOR COIN-CONTROLLED MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application filed January 10, 1913. Serial No. 741,183.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK N. ROSEN- STENGEL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county larly adapted for use in conjunction with coin counters, and in the specific construe-- tion shown effects the locking ofthe counting mechanism whenever an undersized coiny 1s in engagement therewith.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a portion of a coin' counting machine to which my improvement is applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; and Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 1, showing the operation of ejecting a coin.

A is a coin feeding tube or conduit into which the coins are introduced by a suitable sorting mechanism not shown. This sorting mechanism isof such a charactervthat the coins are graded as to size; but it sometimes happens that a small coin will be carried by a larger coin and thus find access to the tube A. i

B is a counter actuating-wheel, which, as shown, is provided with a circumferential Series o-f concave pockets C adapted to receive coins of the proper dimension or size.

D is a reciprocatory plunger for transferring a coin fromthe bottom of the tube A to a'discharge tube E, the path of movement being intercepted by the wheel B.

F is a guide for the coin when transferredby the plunger. 4

The' arrangement thus far described is such that each reciprocation of the plunger D will carry a coin discharged from the' lower end of the tube A along the guide F and in so doing .will engage said coin with one of the pockets C, causing the partial rrotation of the wheel B. VThiswill operate a suitable register, not shown, which will count the coin so that the number passing through the machine is accurately tallied. If however, a smaller coin or one of a different dimension were in the tube A, it

would operate the counter in the same manner as the coin of the proper dimension, renderlng the record inaccurate. To overcome the defect just described, I have provided a rejecting mechanism` which prevents the passage of an undersized coin beyond the wheel B or the turning of the latter thereby. I have further provided 'means by which such rejected coin may be ejected from the machme to render the counting mechanism agaln operative.

The specific construction of locking mechanlsm preferably used Acomprises a pivotal dog G, which has a detent H for engagement with a series oflockingshoulders I on the wheel B. A portion of this dog forms a gage opposite the guide F and so spaced that a coin of the proper dimension or size when actuated by the plunger D will force the detent H of said dog out of engagement with the shoulder II and permit the rotation of the wheel B. If, on the other hand, the coin is undersized, the dog will not be moved sufliciently to -disengage the detent from the shoulder and consequently rotation of the wheel B i's effectually prevented. This will render the mechanism inoperative until 'the improper coin is removed.

In order that the dog G may be more easily operated, itis preferable to provide a gradual cam surface thereon and at the same time it is necessary to provide clearance for the turning of the wheel in the unlocked position of said dog. I therefore preferablyV provide the dog with a movable finger J, which is adjustable from a position where it clears the wheel during the rotation thereof to a position where it projects into one of the pockets C. In the latter` position, a gradual cam surface is presented by the edge K of the finger, along which the coin will be moved by the 4plunger D and which will unlock thel dog by such movement. It will be understood that after the dog G is unlocked the coin must actuate the wheel B before disengagement from the When an undersized coin is fed by the plunger, the mechanism remains locked,

- removed. This preferably consists of a secvso ond reciprocatory bar L which is arranged beneath the plunger D and normallyforms the bottom of the guideway, along which the coin is passed by said plunger. An aperture M is formed in this bar, which normally registers with the discharge tube E, lso that any coin that passes the counting wheel will fall through the said aperture M into said tube. Whenever the mechanism is locked and a small coin is lodged in the guideway, the attendant may eject said coin by pushing inwardly the bar L until the aperture M registers with the coinand permits 1t to drop upon'a lower guide surface N. The bar L is then subjected to a further inward motion, which will push the small coin for-- Ward until it drops through the discharge tube O, shownas in registration with tube A. A further function performed by the bar L is to return the plunger D to its normal position, which is accomplished by the engaging of end of bar` L with a shoulder P upon the lower side of the plunger. Thus, by a simple operation of pushing inwardly the bar L, the false coin is ejected and the mechanism is rendered operative for the counting 'of the-remaining coins.

Where the mechanism is applied to a power-driven machine, it is desirable to make provision for the stopping of the plunger D without straining or breaking any part of the actuating mechanism. Such a provision' is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1, in which Q is a pitman rod for actuating the plunger D and which is con-v nected to a rotary crank R actuated by a belt drive S. The driving force of this belt is`so adjusted that while su'licient to actuate the plunger under normal load, it will slip whenever the wheel B is locked and will not exert suilicient force to injure any part of the mechanism.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with an actuating member, of locking means for said member, means actuated only -by a coin of proper size for releasing said locking means, said actuating member not bein'g actuated by a coin not of proper size, and means for removing a coin from said member if said coin is not the proper size.

2. In a coin counting mechanism, an actuating member, means for locking said member, means for transferring a coin pastsaid member, means actuated by a coin of proper size for unlocking said member, and means f or removing the coin when not of proper size.

` size.

when not of proper size.

4. In a coin controlled apparatus, a coin feeding tube, a coin discharge tube, a guideway between said tubes, a member extending into said guideway, means for locking said member, means extending into saidl guideway and actuated by a coin of proper size for unlocking said member, a bar within said guideway for transferring a coin from said coin `feeding tube to said coin discharge tube if said coin is of proper size, and a second bar normally forming the bottom of said-guideway for removing said coin when not of the proper size.

5. In a coin controlled apparatus, the combination with an actuating member, of

a member for transferring a coin of proper size past said actuating member, a second member for removing the coin when not of ating member having a projection extending into the path of the coin. a dog for locking said member from rotation, and a movable finger upon said dog adapted to be actuated by a coin of proper size to move said dog to unlock said actuating member, said finger being adjustable from a position where it clears said actuating member during the rotation thereof to a position where it lies adjacent to said projection.

7. In a coin counting mechanism, a rotary member provided with a pocket in the periphery thereof, a dog for locking said member from rotation, and a linger pivoted to said dog extending within said pocket and adapted to clear said rotary member durin rotation thereof, said linger being adapte to actuate said dog to unlock said rotary member when actuated by a coin of proper 8. In a coin counting mechanism, an actuating member havinga pocket in the periphery thereof, means adjacent said member for locking said member from rotation, and meansv upon said first-mentioned means extending within said pocket and adapted to clear said actuating member during movement thereof, said means upon the first-mentioned means being adapted to actuate said locking means to unlock said actuating member when actuated by a coin of pro er size.

9. In a coin controlled mechanism, the combination with a rotary member extending into the 4path of the coin, of a plunger for transferring a coin lin its path past said actuating member, a second plunger for removing the coin, and a shoulder upon said first-mentioned plunger n the pathv of said second plunger for returning said first-mentioned plunger to its original position through said second plunger.

10. In a coin counting mechanism, a rotary member having a projection extending into the path of the coin to be actuated thereby, 10 akolo'g for locking said member from rota- I tion,a finger for releasing said dog movable into the path of said projection When actuated by said coin and adapted to clear said projection When released by the colin.

In testimony whereof I aliX my signature 15 in presence of tWo Witnesses.

FREDERICK N. ROSENSTENGEL. Witnesses: l

WM. J. BELKNAP, JAMES P. BARRY. 

